1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing a person lying on a bed from falling off the bed.
2. Prior Art
It is widely known that it may become necessary, for various reasons, to use an apparatus for preventing a person lying on a bed from falling off the bed during periods of sleep or when a person is unsupervised. For example, if a person is agitated in his sleep, due to dreams or physical conditions such as Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) or insomnia, he may fall off the bed, perhaps inflicting serious injuries upon himself. Also, with certain types of physical limitations or injuries, changing positions in bed may be difficult, and it may be desirable to limit the possibility of falling off the bed.
In many cases, people have resorted to using bed rails, which have several disadvantages. Firstly, bed rails are not visually pleasing, especially in a home setting. Secondly, bed rails make entering and exiting a bed very difficult, and installing and removing rails could be difficult for an elderly or injured person. Thirdly, it is possible for a person to seriously injure himself if he tries to climb over or around bed rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,131 to Diehl (1987), titled Bed Sheet Restraint, does not meet the requirements for in home use by a self-functioning individual. This restraint needs to be attached to the bed by a second individual after a person is lying in bed, and it renders the reclining individual helpless to exit the bed when necessary.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,950 to Bergeron (1997), titled Security Cover, is also an inferior product. This restraint is “made of a flexible and sturdy material such as canvas, tarpaulin, or the like”. This material is heavy, hot, hard to manipulate, hard to wash, and would not be conducive to providing a clean, cool, and comfortable sleeping environment.
Additionally, this cover has attached snap hooks that attach to a “flexible line” so that the cover can be slid up and down. Since material used for this flexible line is not specified, one may conclude that after much use, this flexible line may become frayed, brittle, or sharp, thus causing the line to break, snap, or cause injury, such as cutting the skin. Also, there is a risk of injury if an individual's arms or legs get caught in the openings that exist between the cover and the wire. According to this patent, a second person is needed to finally secure the security cover in place.
There is therefore clearly a need for an improved apparatus for preventing a person lying on a bed from falling off the bed.